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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 14:53:38 GMT -5
Post by Venus on Feb 1, 2009 14:53:38 GMT -5
'Peace hath her victories No less renowned than war.' - John Milton, 'Sonnet: To Cromwell'
Although the war has raged on and on, for centuries longer than mortal creatures can count, there will be a time, inevitably, when peace comes - one way or the other. For now, we do not know who will be victorious.
What we do know is who we want to be victorious.
So this is our vision of peace, and a time without war. How would our dragons react when there are no longer any battles to fight? Would they succumb to bloodlust and actively seacrh for fights? Would they settle down, restart clans? Or would they leave altogether?
This is a ready-made sandbox, set up for a situation that lies beyond the roleplay, when foes are defeated and deaths avenged. Some may have died, some may have lived, with or without injury or affliction. So - you decide:
How will your dragons be after the final battle?
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:00:00 GMT -5
Post by Fury on Feb 1, 2009 15:00:00 GMT -5
Sheakria laid in the shade of a great Sycamore tree with her head the only thing out in the sun. It reflected little patterns off her bright emerald green scales and as she breathed or even so much as twitched a muscle it set them in motion. She flicked her tail back and forth and waited. The war had been long and harsh but of all those who had come out unscathed, she was not one of them. A very fine scar in the shape of a cresent moon now marred the side of her face... a parting gift from Fury. She had done the same to the black dragoness but her scytheblade had made more of an impact. Certainly that scar was now a very long and jagged mark upon Fury's hip now. Both had a sort of respect. That last battle had given them an almost friendship between them... It'd ended up making them even. It seemed "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" didn't apply in their personal struggle.
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:06:51 GMT -5
Post by Venus on Feb 1, 2009 15:06:51 GMT -5
Leander was stretched out on the grass, basking lazily in the buttery sunlight and enjoying the warmth seeping beneath his scales. He escaped mainly without extensive injury - only a scar or two where attacks had struck deep into his hide, marring him in lines of pink, healed skin. His wings were a little more tattered, the prisitine membranes still pricked with holes the size of arrowheads.
The main difference, though, were the tattoos. The master spell holding the Shantari clan markings in check was broken during the fight, and so his scars were accompanied by the sweeping, tiger-like stripes of glowing green and silver. They ran along his back in ridges, and framed his face like a mask, features more feral than they were without the markings. His claws clicked against small pieces of stone as he stretched, settling into a more comfortable position.
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:11:55 GMT -5
Post by Fury on Feb 1, 2009 15:11:55 GMT -5
Sheakria opened one lazy eye and looked over at him. She stood up and stretched in an almost feline manner. "It hasn't been long and I'm already bored of peace." she mused. "How about you oh tiger-striped champion?" She stretched her translucent wings and sighed. Life wasn't nearly as fun now. No purpose... it left her feeling almost an empty shell. Sure she was free now...but she had nobody commanding a challenge of her. She had no reason for travel, fight, or even to think. Sheakria had one word to describe herself along with 'beautiful' now. Hollow.
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:16:31 GMT -5
Post by Venus on Feb 1, 2009 15:16:31 GMT -5
Opening one eye and watching Sheakria from his warm spot in the grass, Leander rumbled a quiet chuckle. It rasped in his throat.
"Life's very slow now, isn't it? In war, we want peace, and in peace, we want entertainment. Circles within circles. And now, we're all scattered across the world and trying to enjoy our rest, but still, we can't settle. Our purpose is lost."
"No, my dear, that purpose of yours isn't lost. It's just changed."
The maternal voice travelled smoothly through the air, and its owner landed with a whoosh of wings and a packed thud on the grass-covered ground. Tiamat shook out her mane, the fur and feathers falling easily into place, trinkets jingling against hide and scale.
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:21:48 GMT -5
Post by Fury on Feb 1, 2009 15:21:48 GMT -5
Sheakria sighed again, her sides heaving with it as if the breath took so much effort, like the world was crushing her. "Changed to what? No longer do I serve under orders...so no longer do I know what do do! I lay here like some fat useless creature and long to have something to strive for but I haven't the foggiest idea of what I want from this world!"
An almost silvery sort of swirl overtook the air next to Tiamat and it formed into the long snake-like body of an eastern dragon. He smiled and bowed his head to her before addressing all of them, especially Sheakria. "Those who have seen war and enjoyed it long for the purpose again. Those who wanted the peace to begin with find a new goal and simply move on."
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:26:03 GMT -5
Post by Venus on Feb 1, 2009 15:26:03 GMT -5
Leander levered himself to sit up straight, wings tucked neatly into his sides. "For now, I'm enjoying the rest. But later, I think I'll want something to do again. Something to work for."
Tiamat smiled, dipping her head to Tastu in return.
"That's true. Maybe when the rest of your group returns from wherever they're spread, Sheakria, you could challenge them to a tournament."
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:32:39 GMT -5
Post by Fury on Feb 1, 2009 15:32:39 GMT -5
Sheakria shook her head, knowing the few she would want to return from Gaulroach's army would not. Even Reroku, despite getting on Sheakria's nerves, would not be returning from where she had gone. The white scaled Moon Dragon had met her end on the battle field. "No... I don't want to fight anymore. I just- Actually that's the problem. I don't know what I want to do. I feel like a tool with no purpose or owner. What am I do to with freedom when all it has done is restrict me?"
Tatsu flicked her with his insubstantial tail, though the feathery tufts tickled her hide as if they had been solid. "Don't let your mind give you such grief, oh great warrior of the Anacria dragon clan. You should not trouble yourself so much. The old fire has left your eyes and so you feel you have no reason to live on... but fire blazes back again when it has something to kindle it. Don't give up."
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:42:39 GMT -5
Post by Venus on Feb 1, 2009 15:42:39 GMT -5
Tiamat watched the listless dragoness with sympathetic eyes. She looked so much like the stray wanderes she took in, nurtured and taught - when they first came to her Earth, they all looked so lost, so hollow.
And now, the famed assassin Sheakria was having the same problem.
Something blocked the sunlight for a moment, and Tiamat looked up. From the corner of her eye, she caught Leander smiling as a familiar shape descended down, getting to his feet and shaking out his scales.
Venus landed with a quiet thud, folding her wings carefully. She looked much the same, as Leander - a few more scars, and the activated Shantari markings - hers were more numerous due to her higher rank. And instead of stripes, they were swirls, blues and golds tracing the lines of her body in twists and turns, elaborate patterns of glowing nothingness.
The main change, though, was seen when she raised her head to meet the eyes of her friends. Or, for her, to feel them in her thoughts.
Venus's eyes were blank - gleaming gold coins, with no pupils - and no vision. Thanks to an acid attack, and later, a round of dagger-like spelled feathers from Rafael, she was blind. She still managed to get around using her mind and aura powers to sense the world around her - but Venus probably wouldn't see the world she loved so much ever again.
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:50:35 GMT -5
Post by Fury on Feb 1, 2009 15:50:35 GMT -5
Sheakria's lips twitched up into a smile. "Good day Venus... Feeling as listless and broken as the rest of us?" It was enough of a joke, though a grim one, to get a laugh out of herself. However once the moment passed she settled back down into her rather bored self. She seemed alert to another flurry of wings approaching and lifted her head to the sky as a shaft of sunlight beamed down. Unlike most, she'd gained enough skill in her light powers that she wasn't affected by the sun in her eyes. "We have another guest."
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:53:27 GMT -5
Post by Venus on Feb 1, 2009 15:53:27 GMT -5
A wry grin twisting across Venus's face, eyes crinkling but not twinkling as they used to.
"Good day to you, too, Sheakria. I've been off and about, so it isn't as bad for me because I wandered about before. But I know what you mean. Having no purpose after all this time is... well, interesting. Or you could say difficult."
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 15:57:38 GMT -5
Post by Fury on Feb 1, 2009 15:57:38 GMT -5
"I'd say the second," Sheakria agreed. Her scales ruffled as she stretched once more. "I feel lazy and useless as a rock! I need a purpose! ...But I have none."
"Oh do lighten up and stop complaining," a blue dragon said as he shook his head after touching down on the ground. He was the same size as the rest of them and possessed knowledge as such...but he was very young. His bright gold eyes kept shifting little patterns of green inside of them.
"Nice of you to drop in, Hate. Come to best me at the games of the mind once more?"
"Not quite. As all of you...I'm dazed. I haven't a reason for anything."
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 16:02:42 GMT -5
Post by Venus on Feb 1, 2009 16:02:42 GMT -5
Venus didn't look at Hate, instead using her aura to sense his presence and position.
"Well, if we're all without reason, why don't we think one up?"
Tiamat hummed, deep in her chest, gazing at the array of dragons assembled with ancient eyes.
Leander threw his clanmate a flat look.
"Yeah, Venus, if it were that easy, do you think we'd be here?"
She did glance over at him this time, eyeridge raising and a teasing smile coming easily to her face.
"I'm not above using my position to put you in your place, Leander! And stop being so pessimistic. I'm sure there's something we can do."
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 16:18:57 GMT -5
Post by Fury on Feb 1, 2009 16:18:57 GMT -5
Sheakria chuckled. "Actually, Leander is right. If we had thought of a purpose we would not be here. We would be out actually doing something with our existence instead of laying here like lumps."
"Well," Hate snorted,"surely you can think of something to do? You're the famed killer! A stare and people faint! Utter your name and they keel over!" He teased in an almost cruel manner.
She shook her head. "Not anymore Hate."
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Wings
Feb 1, 2009 16:30:09 GMT -5
Post by ryuu on Feb 1, 2009 16:30:09 GMT -5
(mind if I randomly come in?)
A black dragon was flying round the top of a mountain peak not far away. Sable called to someone on the mountains peak and Pearl appeared. Three small figures followed her timidly. "Not scared are you?" Sable yelled at them as she swept past again. "No!" called back three little scared voices. "You are, arnt you?" Sable mocked them. "This will be their first time flying" Pearl reminded her. She pushed one of the chicks forward tewords the edge. The shiny blue chick squeked in fear and tried to escape but with a finale push Pearl sent him hurtling over the edge. Sable emidiatly folded her wings and plummeted down with him. "Open your wings!" she shouted at the petrified chick. The chick did as he was told and graduly manged to unfold his large wings that were being buffeted by the wind. With a sudden jolt he stabalised his flight enough to slow down and hit the ground with only a small jolt. "Very well done" Sable complimented him. "Yes, your father would be very proud" pearl called down. Sable let out an anoyed sigh "Where is Azure anyway? I thought he said he would be here!"
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